Sewing machine



Aug. l, 1933. R U51- E-r AL 1,920,472

SEWING MACHINE Filed Oct. l2.- 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l l?? @Ma/Ai magg?? Aug., 1, 1933. R, F, LIST ET AL SEWING MACHINE Filed Oct. 12. 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 1, 1933 Unirse. STATES PATENT @FFME Ill., assignors to National Company, Belvidere, :illinois Sewing Machine Ill., a Corporation of Application October 12, 1931. Serial No. 568,332

10 Claims.

This invention relates to sewing machines and more particularly to treadle operated sewing machines. Other embodiments of this invention have heretofore been described and claimed in vour co-pending application Serial No. 562,676

led September 14, 1931.

The main object of the invention is to produce a treadle operated sewing machine which can be manufactured at a substantially lower cost than can a motor driven machine and which will em body certain features of advantage found in motor driven machines and not heretofore available in treadle operated machines, these features including compactness, attractive appearance and means for enclosing the operative parts in such way that the machine will be acceptable as a piece of furniture in a living room.

In all treadle operated machines on the market, the side frame castings, the treadle, the pitman shaft, a large pulley wheel and a belt running to the drive shaft of the stitch-forming mechanism are fully exposed and the machines as a whole are relatively large and unattractive in appearance. It is our purpose to disguise a treadle operated sewing machine in such manner as to make the same attractive in appearance as an article of furniture.

Motor driven sewing machines have been enclosed in attractive cabinets, and because of the absence of treadles .and power-transmitting mechanism, no diiiicult problems were involved in covering the utilitarian features of the construction and making the machine function as a piece of living room furniture when not being used for sewing. However, on account of the cost of production, motor driven machines are not available to many users oi sewing machines, and one of the objects of this invention is to produce, at low cost, a machine having the desirable features above mentioned.

One of the specific objects of this invention is to make the treadle and a part of the pitman shaft removable from the rest of the machine and to pivotally connect the pitman tothe treadle in such manner that the pitman may be swung into a position closely adjacent to the treadle .and to extend longitudinally of the treadle. This arrangement facilitates storing of the disconnected treadle and pitman when the machine is not in use.

Another specific object is to provide means for disengageably connectingthe treadle to the cabinet, which means permits oi the substitution of a furniture cross bar for the treadle when the latter has been removed.

The objects of the present invention are accomplished by providing means, very compact in form, for transmitting power from the treadle to the stitch-forming mechanism, and locating the same entirely within a drop head cabinet which is supported on conventional table legs, and, further, by providing a removable treadle disengageably connected to the means for transmitting power to the stitcheforming mechanism. Other objects and advantages will appear from the following speciiication.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through a sewing machine embodying our invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line 2--2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. l, looking downwardly as indicated by the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a vertical'sectional View taken on the line 4-*4 of Fig. l.

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. l., showing the means for disengageably connecting the treadle to a fixed part of the cabinet.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional View taken on the line 6--6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. '7 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 7 7 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the cabinet side bars to which is attached one member of the means for disengageably connecting the treadle to the cabinet.

Fig. 9 is a vertical sectional view through the lower part of the cabinet support showing the side bars in section and the cross bar in elevation7 the cross bar having been substituted for the removed treadle.

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section taken on the line 10-10 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 1l is a perspective view of the cross bar shown in Figs. 9 and 10.

In that embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, l0 indicates legs, four in number, for supporting a drop head cabinet l1. The cabinet consists of a back wall 12 and side walls 13 and ifi xedly secured to the legs 10. A front wall or door l5 is hngedly secured along one side edge to one of the legs l0. A. table top 16, provided with an elongated opening of about the size of the bed plate of the sewing head, is xedly secured to the top edges of the back and side walls of the cabinet. Forwardly of the opening in the table top 16 is. a hinged bib 17 which is raised while the sewing head is lifted, and then lowered head cabinet is made of a curved piece of wood or other suitable material and is not as wide as the space between the side walls 13 and 14. Said bottom 18 is fixed to the bottom of the back wall 12 and is curved and inclined upwardly toward the front where it joins the longitudinallyextending front beam 19. Hingedly secured to the side of the table top 16 is a table memberZO which overlies the top 16 when the head has been lowered and the machine is not in use. The door .l may be opened when the machine isbeing used, the shape of the bottom wall 18'r being such as to accommodate the kneesof the user in front of the machine, while the inside of the drop head cabinet is just large enough to receivethe sewing head when the machine is not in use. A receptacle 21 may be secured to the bottom ofthe inner surface of the door 15. A conventional sewing machine head 22 is indicated in Fig. 1, the same being supported on a bed plate, not shown. The bed plate is hingedly secured to the table top 16 along its margin 24 adjacent the opening in the top 16 through which the-bed plate and sewing head may be dropped into the cabinet when the bib `l' has been raised, '4 In the bottom of the cabinet, extending longitudinally adjacent the rear wall l2, is a horizontally disposed shaft 25. rotatably mounted in bearings 26 secured tothe inner surfaces of the side walls 13 and 14. A pulley wheel 2T is izedly secured to the shaft 25 adjacent one side wall and a similar pulley wheel 28 is xedly secured to the shaft 25 adjacent the other side wall of the cabinet. The pulley 27 is connected by a flexible belt 29 to the combination pulley fly wheel 38 on the horizontal shaft of the sewing machine head 22'. The top 16 is apertured at 31, to receive the belt 29.

' The other pulley 28 is operatively connected with a grooved disc or pulley wheel 34 rotatably mounted on' the ystub shaft 35 fixed in the side wall 14 of theoabinet 11. A flexible belt 36 operatively connects the `pulleys 28 and 34. The wheel 34 is considerably larger thanthe `pulley 28 and the open bottom of thecabinet at one side accommodates the Vpulley 34 as well as the `upper section 3'? of a two piece pitman shaft 37-38.

The shaftsection 37 is rotatably mounted on the hub 39 which extends laterally from one side of the wheel 34, being formed with an eye 40 atits upper end through which said hub 39 extends.

llvhe lower end of the pitman shaft section38 is located between a pair of apertured ears 41 which extend radially from a bearing 42. The end of the shaft 38 is pivotally connected to said ears 41 by a pin 44. A bolt 43 extends through the bearing 42 and the bifurcated member 45 of the treadle 46, and is held in position by nuts 47. rIhis arrangement provides a pivotal connection between the pitman shaft 38 and treadle 46, through the bolt 43, and a second pivotal connection between the pitman shaft 38 andthe bearing 42, through the pin 44. This permits the pitman shaft section 38, when disconnected from the part 37, to be swung into the dotted line position of Fig. 3, so that it extends longitudinally of the treadle and closely adjacent to the rear edge T" of the same, and facilitates storing of the treadle and pitman shaft section 38 when the same have been removed from the machine.

Y'Ifhe upper end of the pitman shaft section 38 may be disengageably connected to the pitman shaft section 37 in any suitable manner. The

i adapted to receive the lower end ofthe member 37. A vset screw 48 engages an aperture or depression in the pitman shaft 37 and lholds the shaft sections together in alignment. Other means for disengageably connecting the shaft s sections may be used. i

Referring now to the means for disengageably connectingl the treadle to the cabinet support, the xed side bars 49 are provided on their inner surfacesV with avixture which is shown in perspective in Fig.V 8 and in sectional views in Figs. 6 and 7. Said fixture comprises a pair of upright arms 50 and a cross piece 51 which joins the lower ends of said arms 5D. Preferably the cross piece 5l has a shoulder 52 on its rear surface for abutting against the lower edge of the cabinet side bar 49. The upright arms 50 are out away at their rearward, proximate edges as indicated at 53 in Fig. 7. By reference to Figs. 6 and 8 it will be seen that the cut away portion 53 does not extend to the cross piece 51, a shoulder 54 being formed slightly above said cross piece for a purpose to be described. The iixutre 50, 51 is secured to the cabinet side bar 49 by countersunk screws 55. rihe shape of the parts 58 and 5l is such that a rectangularly shaped slot, open at the top, is formed in said fixture.

The treadle--carrying rod 56 is mounted, at each end, in the lower end 57 of an elongated plate 58. Gn its rear surface, that is, the surface which is not exposed when the plate is in operative position, the plate 58 has formed on it a rea1".v'ardly projecting, rectangularly shaped lug 59 adapted to fit into the recess formed by the members 50 and 5l, the lower surface of the lug 59 resting on top of the cross piece 5l. Since the f distance between the fixtures secured to the side bars 49 is thesamc as the combined length of the treadle rod 56 and attached plates 58, said plates 58 will be firmly held between said fixture arms 50 when the lugs 59 are slipped downwardly into the recesses to seat on the cross pieces 5i. The length of the plate 58 is such that the cabinet side bars 49 may be in normal location above the floor and yet the treadle rod 56 will'be supported in a plane sufficiently low to make operation of the treadle 46 convenient for the operator. The treadle, plates 58 and pitman section 38 are easily removed, as a unit,'by loosening the set screw 48, moving the shaft 38 downwardly relatively to the member 37, and sliding the plates 58 upwardly' to disengage the same from the fixture 5051.

- When the treadle unit has been removed, a conventional furniture cross bar` 60 may be substituted for the treadle, for the purpose of improving the appearance of the cabinet and its supports as a piece of furniture. The cross bar 60 has secured to it at each end a plate Y61 which is slightly wider than the bar 60 and of such size andshape that4 it will fit into the recess 53 formed by 4cutting away the rear surface of the arms 50, the lower edge 62 of the plate 61 resting on the shoulder 54 on the rear of said arms 50. The dimensions of the cross bar 60 are such that it fits between the arms 50 andrests on the edge of the cross piece 51. When in position the cross bar 60 partially hides the fixture on the side bars, strengthens the construction of the cabinet, as a whole, and improves its appearance.

` Changes may be made in details of construction without departing from the scope of our invention and we do not intend to be limited to the exact form shown and described, except as set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:-

l. In a treadle operated sewing machine provided with a treadle and spaced apart supports for carrying the sewing mechanism, `means for disengageabiy mounting the treadle in said supports, said means comprising a slotted fixture secured to each of said supports and a iiX'tureengaging member mounted on each end of the treadle rod.

2. In a treadle operated sewing machine pro ided with a treadle and spaced apart supports for carrying the sewing mechanism, means for disengageably mounting the treadle in said supports, said means comprising a xture secured to each of supports and a fixture-engaging member mounted on each end of the treadle rod, the xture being slotted downwardly from its top, and the fixture-engag member having a lug formed at its upper end for entering said slot.

3. In a treadle operated sewing machine provided with a treadle and spaced apart supports for carrying the sewing mechanism, means for disengageably mounting the treadle in said supports, said means comprising a ixture secured to each of said supports and a fixture-engaging member mounted on each end of the treadle rod, the fixture consisting of two spaced apart upright arms connected at their lower ends by a cross piece.

4. In a treadle operated sewing machine provided with a treadle and spaced apart supports for carrying the sewing mechanism, means for disengageably mounting the treadle in said supports, said means comprising a fixture secured to each of said supports and a Xture-engaging mem er mounted on each end of the treadle rod, the fixture consisting of two spaced apart upright arms connected at their lower ends by a cross piece, and the Xture-engaging member having a lug on one side for tting between the arms and bearing on said cross piece.

5. In a treadle operated sewing machine provided with a treadle and spaced apart supports for carrying the sewing mechanism, means for disengageably mounting the treadle in said supports, said means comprising a .fixture secured to each of said supports and a fixture-engaging member mounted on each end of the treadle rod, the xture being slotted between its side margins for receiving the Xture-engaging member on the treadle, and cut away on that side adjacent the support to provide a space between the fixture and the support for the reception of a comple mentally shaped part of a furniture cross bar when the latter is substituted for the treadle.

6. In a treadle operated sewing machine provided with a treadle and spaced apart supports for carrying the sewingmechanism, means for disengageably mounting the treadle in said supports, said means comprising a Xture secured to each of said supports and a Xture-engaging member mounted on each end of the treadle rod, the fiXture-enaging member being an elongated plate having xture-engaging means formed on its upper end and a treadle rod bearing on its lower end.

7. A treadle operated, cabinet type sewing machine comprising a sewing head mounted on the cabinet, power transmitting mechanism in the cabinet, supports for the cabinet, a treadle, means for detachably connecting the treadle to the power transmitting mechanism, and means for disengageably mounting the treadle in the cabinet supports, said means comprising a pair of slotted xtures secured to the cabinet supports, and a Xture-engaging plate having flanges mounted on each end of the treadle rod.

8. A treadle operated, cabinet type sewing machine comprising a sewing head mounted on the cabinet, power transmitting mechanism in the cabinet, supports for the cabinet, a treadle, a pitman shaft, means for detachably connecting the pitman shaft to the power transmitting mechanism, a pivotal connection between the pitman shaft and the treadle, consisting of a bifurcated projection on the treadle, a bearing carrying a pair of apertured ears, a bolt pivotally connecting the treadle and bearing, a pin pivotally connecting the pitman shaft and the bearing ears, said pin being at a right angle to said bolt.

9. In a sewing machine, a removable treadle unit consisting of a treadle, a treadle rod, a pit man shaft pivotally connected to the treadle and carrying on its free end means for detachable connection with the sewing machine mechanism, and a plate mounted on each end of the treadle rod and carrying means for disengageably cooperating with a xed part of the machine when the treadle is in operative position.

10. In a sewing machine, a removable treadle unit consisting of a treadle rod, a treadle mounted on the rod, and a pitman shaft pivotally connected to the treadle, the pivotal connection ben tween the pitman shaft and treadle including a bearing, a bolt pivotally connecting the bearing to the treadle, said bolt extending longitudinally of the treadle, and a pin extending at right angles to the bolt and pivotally connecting the pitman shaft to said bearing, whereby the pitman shaft may be moved both longitudinally and transversely of the treadle.

RAYMOND F. LIST. VJALTER A. SMITH. 

